Did he buy himself out of the Army?

[nanny jan]

A family tale is that my grandpa bought himself out of the Army in WW1; would that have been possible?

By 1914 he was 34, married with several children and probably employed as a wire worker but I'm not sure that any of those factors would have counted!

I have one photo of him in uniform but no badges/insignia are visible.

Nanny Jan

[scrimnet]

I have never heard of anyone "buying themselves out" under war fighting conditions. To have done so in peace time he would have had to have been a regular soldier and not a volunteer or conscript.

He may well have been found to have exceptional circumstances or his peace time job may have become "reserved". Or it may be that he was invalided out for whatever reason....

[nanny jan]

Thanks scrimnet; just confirmed my feelings about it.  Will have another hunt for him on my next visit to Kew.

Nanny Jan

[scrimnet]

Thanks scrimnet; just confirmed my feelings about it.  Will have another hunt for him on my next visit to Kew.

Nanny Jan

I do have a copy of the "Manual of Military Law 1914" which I will check when I get home...

[nanny jan]

Thanks; might help to solve this.

Nanny Jan

[bobbyg]

'Mother sell the pig and buy me out' whilst a common cry during peacetime it would have been unlikely to buy oneself out during wartime.
   Pre-war Regulars who's pre-war engagements expired during the war were discharged accordingly and given leave normally until they got called up again while any Officers clever enough to go down the resignation route to get out things usually found their resignations if accepted were soon followed by an invitation to rejoin in a lesser capacity.
   In short most unlikely to buy yourself out during the war but you could get discharged to do essential war work in reserved occupations and you did not have to pay to do this. In fact many of the early war volunteers took this option and returned to their original trades after experiencing the hell that was the Somme.

[nanny jan]

Thanks bobbyg; perhaps his wire-working employment was a "reserved" job. The only children still alive were born post WW1 and so have no memories; only half-remembered tales.

Nanny Jan

[scrimnet]

Army Act 1914

Pt ii

Section 81

If a recruit within three months after the date of his attestation pays for the use of His Majesty a sum not exceeding ten pounds, he shall be discharged with all convenient speed, unless he claims such discharge during a period when soldiers in army service who otherwise would be transferred to the reserve are required by a proclamation of His Majesty in pursuance of this Act to continue in army service, in which case he may be retained in His Majesty's service during that period, and at the termination thereof, if he so require it, on the payment of that sum, be discharged.

So there you are...A proclamation was made at the start of the war, ergo he would not have been able to get out until the termination of that proclamation...ie the end of hostilities!!

[nanny jan]

Thanks scrimnet; I think that settles the family legend once and for all!

Nanny Jan